Skid packaging system



y 1967 J.T. MARSDEN ETAL 3,

SKID PACKAGING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 20. 1965 m Wm M; M B0 A MMN m sw EE M A J July 18, 1967 I J. T. MARSDEN ETAL. 3,331,496

SKID PACKAGING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 20. 1965 2 ShetsSheet 2 INVENTORsJAMES T. MA$DEN EDWIN A. PAULS ATTORNEY5 United States Patent O3,331,496 SKID PACKAGING SYSTEM James T. Marsden, Henrico County, Va.,and Edwin A. Pauls, La Grange, Ill., assignors to Reynolds MetalsCompany, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 20, 1965,Ser, No. 488,595 17 Claims. (Cl. 206-46) which may be convenientlyassembled, which is resistant I to compressive forces for compacting theload, and which may be conveniently handled both when the load is bandedto the remainder of the skid package and when the bands have beensevered, as for example, to allow the removal of all or a part of theload.

In accordance with the invention the load is banded to the deck beforethe runners are fastened to the deck, thereby eliminating the need fortransverse band-receiving slots in the runners and threading the bandstherethrough. Further, by enabling the load and deck to be compressedbefore the runners are attached, the invention prevents the runners andtheir bonds to the deck from becoming damaged by such compression. Stillfurther, the inventive system for attaching the runners to the deckenables the skid package to be easily handled even after the bands havebeen severed.

For a better understanding of the invention, and of its other details,objects, and advantages, reference is now made to the accompanyingdrawings, which show, for purposes of illustration only, presentpreferred embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:

FIGURES 1 to 4 are transverse views of a skid package according to theinvention in various stages of its assembly;

FIGURE 5 is an elevation view of the complete skid package shown inFIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse view of a fastening plate which may be used ina skid package according to the invention; and

FIGURE 7 is a transverse exploded view of an alternate form of runnerwhich may be used in a skid package according to the invention.

Referring initially to FIGURE 1, the load 10, which may be a stack ofrectangular metal sheets or plates, is placed on solid deck 12 which maybe made of plywood, composition board or the like, and is desirably thesame size as load 10.

A conventional banding machine surrounds both load 10 and deck 12 withmetal bands 14, tightens bands 14, and secures them with ties 15. SeeFIGURE 2. This banding operation does not require that the bands bethreaded through holes or slots. On the contrary, the number and placingof the bands may be selected as best suited for the particular load. (Asis known, crossbattens, a top covering, or shrouding may be providedprior to banding in order to further protect the load.)

With some loads, for example, paper and fibrous products and the like,it may be desired to compress the load prior to applying the bands, Thepresent invention enables the press to act directly upon the uppersurface of the load (or any protective covering thereon) and the lower3,331,496 Patented July 18, 1967 surface of the deck, therebycompressing the two together. This eliminates the possibility of damageto the skid which can result from the press acting upon the runners ofthe completed skid, such as crushing the runners, deforming or breakingthe deck where it does not abut the runners, or tearing the bond betweenthe deck and the runners,

Glue 16, for example, a suitable quick-drying wood adhesive, is appliedto the tops of runners 18, the bottom of deck 12, or both. Longitudinalbands 22 are then applied to surround the load and to fit within grooves20 in runners 18, are tightened, and are secured with ties 23.Longitudinal bands 22 serve further to secure the load, to allow theskid packages to be moved from the gluing and longitudinal bandingstation immediately without disturbing the bond afforded by glue 16, andto provide additional forces for securing runners 18 to deck 12. Afterits removal from the gluing and banding station, the completed skidpackage, which is shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5, desirably is not subjectedto further handling until glue 16 is allowed to set.

Longitudinal bands 22 remain on the completed skid package until itreaches its destination, in order to provide it with additional strengthto withstand the relatively rigorous forces which are likely to beplaced upon it during loading, transportation, unloading, etc. Once theskid package reaches its point of use, however, and transverse andlongitudinal bands 14 and 22 severed, the skid package remains intactbecause deck 12 and runners 18 are glued together, and consequently maybe conveniently handled with all or a portion of load 10 still on it orwith load 10 entirely removed;

FIGURE 6 shows a fastening plate 26 with teeth 28 which may be used tofurther fasten runners 18 to deck 12. These plates 26, which are nowider than runners 18, are placed between runners 18 and deck 12 afterglue 16 has been applied, The compressive force of bands 22, togetherwith the weight of load 10, causes teeth 28 to bite into the top andbottom surfaces of runners 18 and deck 12, respectively, therebyproviding resistance to shearing of the bond afforded by glue 16. Ofcourse, care must be taken to avoid placing plates 26 beneath transversebands 14.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the alternate form of runner 30 is composed offlat member 32 and member 34 having groove 36, which may be fastened, asfor example, by gluing or nailing, to form a hollow runner, prior to theapplication of longitudinal bands 22. Alternatively, if threading oflongitudinal bands 22 through the groove 36 is to be avoided, member 34can be fastened to member 32 after member 32 has been glued and bandedto deck 12.

The term bands as used herein is intended to refer not only to metalbands, but also to bands made of other materials or combinationsthereof, and may include wires, straps, belts, and the like.

While present preferred embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention maybe otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a skid package comprising positioning a loadagainst one surface of a deck, banding said load to said deck, andthereafter attaching runners to the opposite surface of said ldeck, sothat portions of said bands are disposed between and are in simultaneousarea contact with said runners and said deck.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said load is compressed against saiddeck prior to said banding.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said attaching includes gluing.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said attaching includes compressingsaid runners against said deck.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said attaching includes further bandingof said runners to said deck and to said load.

6. A method of making a skid package comprising positioning a loadagainst one surface of a deck of substantially the same size;surrounding said load with a plurality of transverse, spaced, parallelfirst bands; tightening and fastening said first bands, therebysecuringly urging said load against said deck; applying glue to onesurface of each of a plurality of runners; abutting said surface of saidrunners against said other side of said deck so that said first bandscontact said surface of said runners in the plane of contact betweensaid surface of said runners and said other surface of said deck;surrounding at least a portion of each said runner with a second bandaligned therewith and substantially perpendicular to said first bands;and tightening and fastening said second bands, thereby securinglyurging said runners against said deck.

7. A skid comprising a deck, runners in plane contact with said deck,and bands having portions disposed between and in simultaneous areacontact with said deck and said runners at said plane.

8. The article of claim 7 wherein said runners are attached to saiddeck.

9. The article of claim 8 wherein said runners are glued to said deck.

10. The article of claim 8 wherein said runners are attached to said.deck by mechanical means disposed therebetween.

11. A skid package comprising a deck, a load resting on the top surfaceof said deck, bands tightly encompassing said load and said deck, andrunners beneath said bands and attached to the bottom surface of saiddeck, whereby portions of said bands are disposed between and are insimultaneous area contact with said runners and said deck.

12. The article of claim 11 wherein said runners are glued to said deck.

13. The article of claim 11 wherein said runners are attached to saiddeck by mechanical means disposed therebetween.

14. The article of claim 11, wherein said runners contact said deck in aplane, and the portions of the bands contacting said runners lie in saidplane.

15. The article of claim 11, wherein said runners are substantiallyperpendicular to said bands.

16. The article of claim 11, comprising further bands tightlyencompassing said load and at least a portion of said runners.

17. The article of claim 16, wherein each said further band issubstantially perpendicular to said first-mentioned bands, and isaligned with and encompasses at least a portion of one said runner.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,099,273 11/1937 Myer 2092 72,159,622 5/1939 Sanford 105369 7 2,503,240 4/1950 Cahners IDS-562,798,600 7/1957 OKonski 206'83.5 2,895,608 7/1959 Wilson 206-60 THERONE. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

T, DIXSON, JR., Examiner.

11. A SKID PACKAGE COMPRISING A DECK, A LOAD RESTING ON THE TOP SURFACEOF SAID DECK, BANDS TIGHTLY ENCOMPASSING SAID LOAD AND SAID DECK, ANDRUNNERS BENEATH SAID BANDS AND ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAIDDECK, WHEREBY PORTIONS OF SAID BANDS ARE DISPOSED BETWEEN AND ARE INSIMULTANEOUS AREA CONTACT WITH SAID RUNNERS AND SAID DECK.